Dream Weaver
by Yeshua
Summary: What if Garnet was separated from Zidane a few years after the destruction of the Iifa Tree? What if she ends up in a special village with no recollection of her home whose inhabitants are people called Dream Weavers? Read and Review...
1. Default Chapter

Author's Note: This is a new fic I'm trying out before I post the sequel to Reincarnation, since it kind of relates to it in some way. I'm not abandoning Kuja, so don't try to kill me with your shrines! Um…Enjoy!

Dream Weaver

Prelude: Just to open things up

On the coast of the Forgotten Continent

Garnet:

          The horizon glowed a bright orange and purple, which as some people say was left over from the Iifa Tree. This entire incident has changed the lives of many, many people in Gaia, including mine. In that entire year, I saw and experienced several things: including love. I loved Zidane with all of my heart and soul. I loved everything about him and I even grew to love Kuja, his brother. When I realized that, I realized that this was the world that I loved. Yes…peace had an interesting effect on everyone.

          Including my love. I slowly walked across the rapidly cooling beach and along the pier leading out to sea. The Invincible was parked alongside the pier, its engines humming quietly. Zidane emerged from the side door, followed by an unhappy looking Kuja. The light hit Zidane's hair perfectly, making it take on a glow all by itself.

          "Ready for your surprise, Dagger?" He asked softly.

          Kuja rolled his eyes and kept a warm smile on his face. What he was smiling about exactly, I wasn't sure. I smiled and nodded, letting Zidane take me into his arms and carry me down the right of the pier. There was a small boat on this side and Zidane sat me down in it as gently as he would a doll. He got in the boat carefully and took up the paddles with a grin.

          "Careful, brother. Dr. Tot said that storms may randomly develop out here," Kuja said.

          "I'll remember that, Kuja," Zidane muttered.

          Kuja snorted and went back into the Invincible. In one fluid motion, Zidane started out to sea. I blinked, trying to take in all of the details. This was heaven and Zidane was…god.

          "What's on your mind, Dagger?"

          I shook my head.

          "Oh, nothing."

          Zidane blinked.

          "Are you sure?"

          I nodded. It wasn't long before the sun hid its face from the world and the stars began their nightly play across the sky. The moon inched forth from her sandy home, blood red in color. I eased over to Zidane's side of the boat. He took me into his arms and hugged me tightly.

          "It's been a long time since we've been alone," He said softly.

          "I know."

          A distant rumble of thunder sounded as we snuggled up closer to each other.

Kuja:

          I watched the screen in front of me with mild interest. There was something interesting developing on the radar. Was it a storm? The dots on the radar grew bigger and I heard muffled thunder. I jumped out of my seat and ran to the side door, quickly punching the opening code in. The door slid open with as hiss and fat raindrops fall in. Lightning flashed randomly and the sea pounded coast. I stepped out and scanned the air for Zidane and Garnet.

Garnet:

          The little boat jumped into the air and another wave of seawater washed over me. Zidane was outside of the boat, trying to swim back to me. With every second, he drew further and further away. I was overcome with despair, unable to do much of anything to help. It was just like when I was young, trapped in a boat with my mother. Lightning flashed before my eyes, blinding me and I flew up amongst the waves in that little boat.

          "Garnet!"

          Was Zidane getting closer to me?

          "Dagger!"

          A hand touched mine and I looked at it, my face a mixture of confusion and despair. The hand belonged to a very soggy cat-like Zidane, who was trying futilely to get back into the boat. The sea seemed to quiet down at that point, but the roar of it seemed to linger. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the crest of a forty-foot wave. A flash of light and an unbelievable cracking of wood sounded…and then I hit something solid. The last thing I saw in front of my eyes was a piece of wood and then nothing more.

Kuja:

          The storm died instantly, giving way to a strange orange colored sky. I blinked, brushing my barely wet feathers out of my face. It was so quiet all of a sudden…why? At the edge of the beach, little pieces of wood floated on shore. I had to admit that I was worried about Zidane and his precious little Garnet. That storm was rather unnatural…

          "Kuja."

          My gaze snapped to the prone form of my brother, Zidane Tribal. The only thing that seemed wrong about him was…

          "I can't find her."

          Zidane's voice cracked with emotion.

          "Oh, Zidane," was all that I could say before my brother broke down in tears.

Hours later

Garnet:

          Something wet hit my nose and went up it, startling me awake. Filtered and gentle sunlight hit my eyes and I winced. My head hurt…why? Where was I? I glanced down at my clothes and my hands. I was dressed in yellow pants and a white shirt that was nearly in tatters. Why was I dressed like this? I got to my feet slowly, feeling the soreness in my muscles. I glanced around slowly, taking it all of the details.

          I was on a secluded beach, surrounding by tall palm trees. To the left of my body lay a marker of some sort. It read 'To reach the land of dreams go straight. To reach the land of nightmares take the same path and go right.' I guess I needed to go to the land of dreams then. I started off onto the path very slowly, seeing as my legs hurt with each step. It wasn't long before I reached another marker. Sure enough, the lands were very different in contrast.

          I fell to my knees and sighed. The sun beat down heavily on my face and my mouth grew drier. I was stuck in the middle of nowhere with nothing to eat or drink. I attempted to get back onto my feet again, knowing that I needed help, but my legs refused to obey me.

          "I'm doomed…"

Kuja:

          We stayed on the beach for a long time, searching the coast for any signs of a body. In actuality, I did most of the searching because Zidane was such an emotional wreck. I was about two miles away from the Invincible when I caught sight of a body covered with sand. I knelt down beside it and brushed the sand off of it. The body belonged to Queen Garnet til Alexandros the 17th. I touched the soft part of her neck, feeling for a pulse. She was still alive, but barely. I guess the eidolons kept her alive. For whatever reason, I wasn't sure.

Garnet:

          Something wet touched my lips and my eyes instantly opened. The image of a young girl with long brown hair peppered with brown feathers tipped in white. She had vivid orange eyes that danced in the light and she wore a set of brown robes. She was holding a bottle filled with liquid up to my mouth. I took it, even though I didn't feel comfortable about it.

          "Thank goodness, you're alive. I thought you were dead." I blinked, emptying the bottle of its sweet tasting liquid.

          "W-Where am I?" I asked.

          The girl smiled warmly.

          "Your in the crossroads between my name, Jougen and the home of shadows, Yoarashi."

          Jougen? Yoarashi? I've never heard of those names before.

          "Oh, excuse me for being rude. My name is Musouka, what's yours?"

          My name? What was my name…?

          "I can't remember," I muttered softly.

          "Why not?"

          Why couldn't I remember my name? I tried to think back to anything beyond the beach and felt pain in the back of my head. I winced.

          "I…just can't."

          I began to shake lightly due to the pain I felt earlier. Musouka clicked her tongue and helped me to my feet.

          "Now, now, you cannot get upset over such a trivial matter. Don't worry about your name and memory, ok?"

          I nodded, although I still felt wrong.

          "Come on! I'll show you my village!"

          Musouka grabbed my hand and walked straight through something that made the air shimmer. I edged away from it, wrenching away from her grasp. She stopped on the other side of the shimmering wall, frowning lightly.

          "Don't worry. It's harmless."

          I whimpered and stepped through it, waiting for some kind of pain. It never came. Musouka giggled and took her hand into mine.

          "Open your eyes."

          I did as she wished and gasped out loud. The land…everything was covered with a strange glow. Everything of color stood out greatly in this land.

          "It's so pretty," I whispered.

          "This is my homeland, my village Jougen. This is the land of dreams, home to the dream weavers."

          Dream weavers?

          "What's a dream weaver?"

          "We are a special race of people who hold control over dreams. We live in this remote village all by ourselves so that we can regulate the dreams in Gaia."

          Gaia? That sounded familiar.

          "What's a Gaia?" I asked.

          Musouka held out her hand and winked as a blue globe appeared above it.

          "Gaia is the planet we live on, silly. Wow, you really must not be able to remember anything then. Ah well, we'll change that!"

Author's Note: Jougen means crescent moon and Yoarashi means night storm. Also Musouka means dreamer in Japanese. Sound confusing? Sound good? Read and Review…


	2. Chapter 1

Author's Note: Enjoy!

Dream Weaver

Chapter 1

Garnet:

          Jougen was a tree house colony, which was amazing in itself. I found myself wondering about how they kept these perfect little huts suspended forty feet in the air. It was amazing…I had seen nothing like it. Musouka's hut was in the center of this 'village' with a long rope ladder dangling down the side.

          "I'll show you the rest of the village as soon as I get changed for the meeting," She said softly, motioning to the rope.

          I started up it carefully and pulled myself up onto the platform. Musouka climbed up beside me, huffing lightly. She gave me a strange look as I got to my feet. What for, I wasn't sure.

          "What's wrong," I asked.

          "I have to get you in some better clothes. This torn shirt won't do."

          I nodded, seeing as I didn't have the room to complain. Musouka flashed another smile and unlocked the front door to her little house. I walked in ahead of her onto what was supposedly carpet flooring. Now how did something like that get here, especially when it was gray?

          "It's fur, from a dozen wolves. We didn't kill them; we just captured and shaved them. We let them go after a few months though."

          This carpet…from tame wolves? I knelt down and touched it softly. It felt very soft…it sent the image of a brown tail into my mind. But why would I remember that?

          "Something wrong?"

          I glanced up at Musouka and shook my head.

          "No, it's just…" I trailed off.

          "Don't worry, I'm not going to pry it out of you. But…I'll pick out some clothes for you."

          She closed the door and walked into the back of the hut. I got up and settled down in a nearby chair. Minutes later, Musouka emerged from the back room, dressed in a set of black robes fringed with gold stars. She held out a set of brown robes with crescent moons on it.

          "It's not much, but I assure you, it'll be better once I sew a few clothes for you."

          "Thank you," I said sincerely.

          "Um…I still haven't found out your name, but why don't I call you Suteki. It means dreamy."

          _Dreamy, huh?_ I nodded and took the robes in my hands.

          "You can change in the back. I'll be out in the front," Musouka muttered.

          I walked down the small hallway and slipped on the robes. While I did so, I caught sight of myself in a mirror. I looked horrible…I truly did. My face was a bit puffy and my eyes were a wee bit bloodshot and my hair…well, let's not go there. I walked from the mirror in silence, determined to get back to Musouka. Musouka was standing out to the right of the front door, eyes closed tightly. I walked softly, trying not to wake her up. However, it was too late. Her eyes shot open and she shook her vigorously.

          "Come on, Suteki! Let's go to the elder's house!"

_          Gods, she must run on nothing but smiles. _We both crossed the bridge over to the right side of the village. There were three huts on this side both with a second floor. Each of them sported a different dreamy color resulting from orange to a creamy brown. Musouka pointed to the creamy orange building with a sigh.

          "That's my sister Dori's house. She's not home due to the fact that she's out in the fields. But she's on the committee that governs the laws here."

          "You have laws? That seems so foreign to me somehow. This land is too beautiful to have crime!" I commented.

          "Ah, but your wrong. Jougen may be safe, but it is at the mercy of Yoarashi, the core in the land of nightmares."

          "So…are there two lands within this…section?"

          "Well…you could say that."

          I shrugged her comment off and continued on down the pathway. Musouka pointed at the creamy brown house and smoothed her hair back.

          "That's Iyori's house. He's…um…like family to me. He's one of the committee members also."

          "And the last?"

          "The elder Kusumi's house."

          I touched the door to the elder's house and twisted it, intending to push it open. Instead, the door flew open, knocking me across the platform and a tall figure stepped out. She looked just like Musouka only there were a few subtle differences. One was the color of her eyes. Instead of having orange eyes, they were a sinister dark blue and her hair was completely black. There was the subtle hint of feathers in it, but it was very hair to tell where they were exactly. Plus, she had this darkness that seemed to project from her body and hang in the air around her. I couldn't help but shiver at it. Musouka rushed over to my side and helped me to my feet.

          "What are you doing here, Natiohane?" She asked, with a coldness I've never heard in her voice before.

          The girl now named Natiohane narrowed her eyes at me, a smirk easing across her lips.

          "I see you took in another moral, dear sister."

          "Don't call Suteki that. And she was lost so I just helped her!"

          I felt like something bad was going to happen between the two, so I backed away. I had no idea how Jougen's ideals worked, so I didn't know if they would start fighting or not.

          "Nevertheless, dear sister. I doubt the elder will be pleased with you," Natiohane sneered.

          "Go back to Yoarashi and your own kind!" Musouka snapped.

          "Ouch, my dear sister, ouch."

          And with that, Natiohane strode away. Musouka turned to face me with an unnatural twinkling in her eyes. I couldn't help but notice the speckle of blue in her eyes and hidden fire behind them.

          "What's wrong, Suteki?" She asked.

          "Nothing," I answered.

          "Are you sure?"

          I nodded. Something told me there was more to her than people originally saw. The image of a white haired man flashed into my mind instantly. I blinked, trying to identify it with some difficulty. But a sharp pain in my head prevented me from thinking on it further. We entered the elder's hut solemnly. The interior of the hut was dimly lit with candles and in the back corner sat the elder, a very young girl with pure white hair and pale skin. She was different than Musouka in the respect that she had no feathers. The elder opened both startlingly beautiful eyes and stared at me.

          "Who is this child? She has great power…"

          I blinked.

          "I don't have power…at least I don't remember having any," I said softly.

          "She has lost her memory, Lady Kusumi. I found her on the beaches outside," Musouka added.

          The elder, Lady Kusumi stretched and yawned.

          "Your sister already knows that this child is here. It's best that you keep her hidden away."

          Musouka seemed to show disgust at the elder's opinion, but wisely covered it up.

          "Oh, and Musouka, I want to speak with you alone. Take the child to Iyori. He's on the other side in the tree branches."

          I would have protested this command if Musouka hadn't suggested me out of the hut. She took me without a sound around the pathway that took us to the right side of Jougen. Sure enough, in the trees was a guy with shoulder length black hair, with the addition of feathers. His skin was as pale as the elders (even though I don't know why) and he was wearing a set of gray robes to match.

          "Iyori," Musouka called softly.

          The guy now named Iyori turned around and narrowed his eyes at her.

          "Ah, sister, what brings you over here?"

          "This is Suteki, Iyori. Can she stay with you while I talk to Lady Kusumi?"

          Iyori glanced at me, his silver/black eyes twinkling in the light.

          "No problem."

          Musouka nodded and ran off, leaving me all alone with Iyori.

          "You're an unusual little person, my dear. Apparently, the elder thinks so too if she's got Musouka running around like this," Iyori commented.

          "I don't understand this land. There are so many things I don't know and…" I trailed off.

          Iyori laughed.

          "What do you want to know about Jougen?"

          There was one question on my mind.

          "Who is the Natiohane person?"

          Iyori's expression darkened for a moment.

          "Natiohane is Musouka's twin sister. It's not hard to guess really, seeing how they look just like each other."

          I settled down on the pathway and met Iyori's eyes.

          "But why don't they live together?"

          "Well…Natiohane is dark and Musouka is supposedly light. Or at least, it was supposed to work that way. Sometimes Musouka takes in the darkness Natiohane feeds on by accident and she'll grow colder. She's trying to get better, but it isn't working. That's why she doesn't weave dreams that well anymore."

          I thought about this calmly. Is that why she looked at me so strangely?

          "So how do you weave dreams?" I asked.

          "Easy. Just watch."

          Iyori grabbed a small stream of sun that had peeped through the trees and wound it delicately into his fingers. I watched with awe as the beam wave into a small floating fish with glittering scales.

          "Of course there is a lethal aspect to this weaving of dreams," Iyori whispered as he balled his hand into a fist. Black tendrils of smoke drifted out and snatched at the fish, shattering it's image.

          "What did you do?" I asked.

          "I used what is normally called black magic."

          "Can anybody else use it?"

          "Only a select few in Jougen can do so, but I will tell you that it's me and Musouka, who can use it freely."

          So…Musouka had magic. At that moment, the image of a little boy in blue popped into my head. It had orange glowing eyes and a wide-brimmed hat on his head. Who was that? The image faded away as quickly as it had came, leaving me with a sense of disappointment.

          "Suteki, let's go to the dream field. Maybe it will help you relax," Iyori suggested.

          I glanced at him carefully. Did he just read my thoughts? Iyori jumped down from the tree branch and grinned.

          The dream field was…well, a large expansive field. Well, in a sense it wasn't. Underneath the thin layer of soil lining the top was water, clear water at that. So when you walked in, you kinda got the feeling of sinking, but I'm get excited (and I digress). Multicolored orbs flew out of the ground and eventually became small clouds that floated around the field freely. Iyori yawned and stretched.

          "The cloud/orb are dreams. They float up from the water up to a level where we can capture and weave it. Also, there is always someone playing music here."

          "What for?"

          "Well…it's rumored that it makes weaving easier. Other than that, I really don't know."

          Iyori chuckled and strode across the field towards a cloud. He reached out and touched it gently. Instantly, his body took on an azure glow and spread the cloud apart with some kind of energy. The area around him went dark for a moment or two then returned to normal. He let it go with a sigh and watched it disappear underground.

          "It's nothing flashy really. After all, we are just the moderators. The dreams that come up here are in need of moderation. Understand now?" He muttered.

          I nodded and said nothing further. It was quiet for a few moments later until Musouka arrived. She appeared to be upset and there were hints of tears stains on her cheek. Now I had to wonder what upset the mighty Musouka so much.

          "Are you ok, Musouka?" I asked.

          "I'm ok."

          "Will you weave today?" Iyori asked.

          "No brother, you are the better weaver than I. Besides, I need to talk to you later in private. Meet me in the forest grove when the sun hides its face from the world. Come, Suteki."

          And with that, Musouka left. I waved at Iyori lightly and followed her out.


	3. Chapter 2

Author's Note: For some odd reason when I tried to originally upload this chapter, it   
  
wouldn't work. So…that's why this is delayed. And for those who don't know already,   
  
Sosei, Reincarnation's Sequel is up.  
  
Dream Weaver  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Garnet/Suteki:  
  
"Will you be ok in here, Garnet?"  
  
I glanced at Musouka carefully, noting how different she looked. She looked   
  
just like Natiohane, only her orange eyes continued to shine dully. I had to admit I   
  
was a bit worried about her because of tearstains I saw earlier. I nodded and   
  
watched her leave. I quietly slipped my blankets off, revealing the rest of my fully   
  
clothed self. I didn't intend to go to sleep quite yet. You see, Iyori told me to follow   
  
Musouka to know more and I intended to do so. I slipped out of the window quietly   
  
and crept along the boardwalk after Musouka's fading form.  
  
I picked up speed, quickly shielding myself behind the leaves of a nearby tree.   
  
Musouka and Iyori were in a moonlight clearing, sitting directly across from each   
  
other.  
  
"What did the elder tell you?" Iyori asked.  
  
"Suteki's appearance means ill tidings for Jougen. But I don't want to cast her   
  
aside. She has no memory of her past, you know."  
  
"I have observed Suteki some today. I think certain things jog her memory. I   
  
think that if we expose her to Gaian influence, it will start to come back."  
  
"But that's the problem. Only you, Dori and me can travel outside of the   
  
village. And I can't leave the village for long, not with Natiohane behaving erratically   
  
as it is."  
  
Iyori shook his head and sighed.  
  
"I can send Dori out to get what we need. Jougen needs our magical   
  
protection right now."  
  
"Brother…Natiohane wants me to come to her lands tomorrow."  
  
"You're afraid, aren't you?"  
  
"It's too close to the crescent moon, Iyori. I can't be inflicted with darkness   
  
before then."  
  
"Fear is your downfall."  
  
My gaze snapped to a dark figure in the corner of the forest. As if cued by   
  
her appearance, it began to rain heavily. I wanted to go back to Iyori's house, but it   
  
wouldn't be wise if I tried to leave with Natiohane here.  
  
"Why are you here, Natiohane?" Musouka snapped.  
  
Her voice sounded shaky and unsure for a moment and then it seemed to   
  
gather strength.  
  
"I'm certainly not here for Jougen, if that's what you are thinking. However, I   
  
do owe you some pain!"  
  
Natiohane held out her arm in which dark energy crackled at the base of it. I   
  
was greeted with the image of the little boy in blue again. This time, he held both of   
  
his hands out, releasing a torrent of flames from them. I could hear a voice crying,   
  
'Vivi! Vivi!'. The next thing I saw was the silver haired man, only he was   
  
well…completely red. Not only that, but he was expelling some kind of red energy   
  
from his body. 'Kuja! Stop it!' Who was Kuja? Who was Vivi?  
  
A shrill scream drew me out of my reverie and I saw Musouka hit the ground.   
  
Iyori flicked his wrist in Natiohane's direction, watching idly as a cloud of ice hit her. I   
  
narrowed my eyes, expecting for her (Natiohane) to be injured…but she appeared   
  
unscathed.  
  
"You were always weak, Iyori. You should stop holding half of that power   
  
back!"  
  
Within seconds, Iyori flew backwards into a tree and stayed there, suspended   
  
just inches away from the ground. I jumped out of the leaves I was hiding under and   
  
went to him, shielding him from the rest of Natiohane's attacks (or so I hoped).   
  
Apparently, my interruption didn't go over well with Musouka and Natiohane.  
  
"Why are you here, Suteki?" Musouka asked. Natiohane turned her gaze on me   
  
intently.  
  
"So this is the death of you, Musouka. She holds great power, but thankfully   
  
enough, she doesn't remember how to use it. Now isn't that ironic?"  
  
When Musouka didn't answer, she whipped out a long, sharp knife and   
  
approached me slowly. Iyori had long since gone silent since I had suddenly ran out   
  
into the clearing. In one fluid motion, Natiohane lunged with the knife, plunging it into   
  
my shoulder. Pain shot through my body and I slumped to the ground.  
  
"Dark Necrovalley Sweep!"  
  
Blinding light flooded my vision and I shielded my eyes painfully. There was a   
  
shriek and then nothing. The next thing I saw was rain and Musouka's pale, white   
  
face. She had her hands covering her mouth.  
  
"I'm s-sorry, S-Suteki!"  
  
I opened my mouth to speak, but she left before I could say a thing. Two   
  
strong arms helped me off of the ground and turned me around. I peered into the   
  
noble face of Iyori calmly.  
  
"Looks like nothing else got hurt. I can fix that shoulder wound in a   
  
heartbeat."  
  
"Are you ok, Iyori?" I asked.  
  
"I'm fine, Suteki. Don't worry about me. I've got a higher defense than   
  
Natiohane knows," He replied.  
  
I had to wonder if Iyori had more power than he was letting on. And then, I   
  
had to wonder what exactly they were capable of.  
  
"Where did Musouka go?" I asked.  
  
"I will tell you later. For now, let's go back to my house."  
  
Iyori whisked me off of my feet gently as to not aggravate my injury. The   
  
image of a man carrying someone entered my mind for a moment or two, but I   
  
shook it off. It wasn't long before Iyori had me sitting comfortably on a small bed in   
  
his house. The knife that Natiohane stabbed me with was still stuck in there,   
  
surprisingly enough.  
  
"Now this may hurt a bit," Iyori warned, placing his hand on the knife hilt. I   
  
clenched my teeth, preparing myself for the incoming pain. In one fluid motion, Iyori   
  
yanked it out and a warm sensation slid down my spine. Wait…where was the pain? I   
  
stared at the knife with a frown.  
  
"A Cura spell, if your curious," Iyori said, trying to keep the amusement out of   
  
his voice.  
  
Cura…that sounded familiar. I rubbed my shoulder lightly, noting how   
  
seemingly healed and sore it was.  
  
"You didn't tell me where Musouka went," I pointed out.  
  
"She's in Yoarashi now. I doubt she'll be back before sunrise, so don't worry   
  
about her."  
  
"But she seemed scared…and that spell…"  
  
"The spell is called Dark Necrovalley Sweep and Musouka helped me out with   
  
half of the energy needed to cast it. She was going to cast it by herself, but   
  
something made her hesitate."  
  
Was Iyori not telling me something here? Iyori rubbed my head tenderly and   
  
moved toward the door.  
  
"Get some rest, Suteki. I will be back in a few minutes."  
  
"Ok."  
  
Iyori:  
  
I closed the door behind me softly, knowing clearly well that Suteki wasn't   
  
asleep. The only thing that I needed to do right now was to talk to Dori about the   
  
literature in Gaia. The faster we got Suteki out of here, the better off Jougen and   
  
Yoarashi would be. I wasn't saying that she was a threat to us, but something had to   
  
be done. I headed down the boardwalk, clothes billowing out behind me, to Dori's   
  
house. She was home now; I could tell by the way the candles flickered outside her   
  
window. As I drew near, the door swung open and Dori poked her head out.  
  
"Let me guess, you want a favor."  
  
I laughed.  
  
"Yeah, we need to get Suteki out of here."  
  
"Heh, no kidding." 


	4. Chapter 3

Author's Note: Yeah, it's been a while hasn't it? Well, I'm here to plead for more reviews. Like I've said before, I accept ideas.

Dream Weaver

Chapter 3

Iyori:

          "So, all in al, our final decision is to get that literature, correct?"

          Dori looked at me expectantly. I glanced warily at her window, which was now shielding the rays of the sun from getting into the house. We had talked for most of the night, discussing ideas on how to get Suteki out. Many of which were related to Natiohane.

          "Iyori."

          I snapped back to attention and sighed.

          "Yes, we get the literature," I muttered.

          "I will leave later on today. Wish me luck."

          I nodded and headed to the door slowly.

          "Oh, and Iyori, keep Suteki out of Yoarashi. It wouldn't be good for Jougen if she discovered the land of nightmares."

Suteki/Garnet:

          I watched the activity within Jougen peak up bit by bit as the minutes went by. Iyori wasn't home yet, and I had a feeling he wasn't going to be. I doubted Musouka had returned either. I guess it was a gut feeling or something. Either way, I was going to Yoarashi alone and I was going to do it today. The front door to Iyori's hut swung open and Iyori himself stepped through the doorway. He looked tired and worn out, from what I wasn't sure. He waved at me and then quietly slipped into his bed. I smiled as he collapsed deeper and deeper into slumber. Today was my lucky day. Now, I didn't have anyone to stop me. I moved to the door and opened it softly. Iyori did not stir. I stepped outside and pulled it closed behind me.

          In front of his house was a rope ladder that led down the forest floor. I climbed down it and hid behind a nearby tree. The sound of voices passed by quickly, but there were some parts I picked up quite easily such as the 'land of nightmares' and 'Natiohane'. Now why would people in Jougen be talking about the land they hate? I moved out of my hiding place and ran towards the entrance until I reached the film that separated this beautiful area from the outside world. It was this very place that I first panicked when entering this world. And Musouka was so patient with me then. I had to wonder what she was doing now. No use sitting here, I told myself silently. The weather outside the barrier was dark and gloomy and lightning flashes could be seen everywhere. The image of a little girl on a boat being tossed by the winds and seas entered my mind instantly.

          "Garnet…"

          I snapped back to attention and glanced around, wondering where the voice came from. But no one was around for miles. I shrugged and crossed onto the path that led to Yoarashi. The scenery quickly changed into that of a barren dry land and the path under my foot appeared worn and cracked. Now I knew why the people of Jougen didn't come into this land: it was literally filled with death. It wasn't long before I reached the boundaries of a castle. The air had turned cold and still, which was very different from the area I first started from. The doors ahead of me slid open, and dust drifted out, making sneeze.

          "Is someone there?"

          My voice echoed off the walls and the surrounding area. I suddenly felt alone and cold, like I did when I first came to Dream Weaver Village. I knew I had a higher purpose, I just knew it. I had to find out who I was. And maybe, just maybe the answer lay within this castle. I walked outside and noticed the foyer in front of me, filled with furniture. It was empty except for the presence of one familiar person…

          "So we meet again, Suteki."

Musouka:

          The sky was sky when I finally emerged from Natiohane's central castle, bruised and beaten.

(Flashback)

_          "Why did you stab Garnet?" Musouka asked._

_          Natiohane glanced up from where she sat with an evil smile._

_          "You made a mistake by coming here. That mortal will be your downfall."_

_          Musouka snatched her sister by the throat and shook her._

_          "You did not answer me, sister!"_

          Natiohane snarled and shoved Musouka away. She then kicked her in the stomach and spat on her body.

_          "Dear Sister, you shame me. But I can change that with my magic," Natiohane said offhandedly._

_          Musouka sighed and groaned on the floor in agony._

_          "No, don't. Just leave me alone," She whispered._

_          "Sorry sister, I'm far from sympathy right now."_

(End Flashback)

          And so she sent me back to Jougen to stop Dori. But I didn't want to and yet I had no choice.

Suteki/Garnet:

          "Sit down and make yourself comfortable, Suteki or should I say Garnet til Alexandros the 17th?"

          Something in Natiohane's voice made me extremely nervous as I sat down in the seat across from the table.

          "Garnet?" I asked.

          The name felt familiar on my lips somehow.

          "Perhaps the fools at Jougen have kept you very ill informed. You are royalty my dear, but you are also something more. Tell me, have you had any strange thoughts or images in your head lately."

          How does she know about my images? I narrowed my eyes and composed myself.

          "How do you know about my image? I've told no one."

          Natiohane huffed and smirked.

          "I'm just not anyone, my dear Garnet."

          "Stop calling me that. My name is Suteki!" I shouted.

          Natiohane laughed.

          "Do you know what you are to Jougen and Yoarashi?" She asked.

          I fell silent and leaned against my chair.

          "A threat. For them, you are a dream—"

          "A dream?" I interrupted.

          "A dream that cannot be fixed. You are something that the precious Musouka can't fix."

          My jaw dropped. A dream? You mean…I don't exist?

          "I don't exist?"

          "Doesn't that make you sad?"

          It didn't make me anything. Not happy or sad…not anything.

Author's Note: PLEASE REVIEW.


	5. Chapter 4

Author's Note: Thank you so much for reviewing. You make me feel so important. And   
  
on with the show!  
  
Dream Weaver  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Suteki/Garnet:  
  
Even after Natiohane left, I felt cold. To think of the fact that I wasn't real   
  
scared me. Why didn't Musouka tell me anything? Did she even know? I barely noticed   
  
that I was outside of Natiohane's castle in the cold chilly air.  
  
"Suteki, how did you get here?"  
  
I lifted my head in the direction of the voice and noticed that it belonged to   
  
Iyori. Suteki…how I despised that name now. I was Garnet til Alexandros, a woman   
  
with no memories. I bit my lip to keep myself from screaming that fact. Iyori didn't   
  
need to know that I had found out a little about my past.  
  
"I got lost," I said softly, trying to keep my expression unreadable.  
  
Iyori frowned, but kept quiet.  
  
"Let us go back to Jougen," I muttered as I walked past him.  
  
Natiohane:  
  
I smirked at my poor sister from outside the portal leading to Yoarashi. I didn't   
  
get much satisfaction from telling Garnet/Suteki that she was a dream. Maybe it was   
  
because of the fact that I had a lot of evil things to do before she discovered her   
  
powers again. Like frame Musouka for instance.  
  
"Come here, Musouka and fall prey to the darkness that encases you," I said   
  
calmly, motioning for her to come through the barrier.  
  
She walked through it slowly, giving me a glare that promised death.  
  
"Why are you doing this?"  
  
I smirked at her question and touched her face.  
  
"I changed my mind, Musouka. I'd just rather watch you suffer. Oh, by the   
  
way, how do I look?"  
  
Musouka's eyes widened for a second, as she looked me over.  
  
"You won't get away with this! Suteki will know its you!"  
  
I extended my hand out and ripped the magic out from the earth. Of course I   
  
didn't have to worry about the earth itself, the energy would return in time.  
  
"She's just a dream, sister. Stop worrying about her, she'll be the death of   
  
you," I snapped.  
  
I swung my hand around and threw the energy at Musouka. The energy   
  
violently impacted with her body, sending her back to Yoarashi with a silent scream.   
  
With her taken care of, I could take out Dori before that literature ended up in   
  
Suteki's hands. That girl must not know the power of the eidolons yet. Not while I still   
  
had a reason to live. I heard the sound of footstep shortly after I sent Musouka   
  
away. No doubt Suteki was on her way back to Jougen with Iyori now. It would be   
  
best for me to behave normally right now. 'Suteki will know it's you!' Could that child   
  
tell us apart from each other? Now is the time to test that theory.  
  
"Musouka."  
  
I turned around and met the eyes of my brother and Suteki.  
  
Suteki/Garnet:  
  
I couldn't put my finger on it, but I could tell that something was wrong. The   
  
sudden appearance of Musouka just confirmed it.  
  
"Why were you two doing in Yoarashi?" Musouka asked, narrowing her eyes in   
  
concern.  
  
Her eyes…they seemed to hold some sort of darkness behind them. Not like   
  
that was unusual for her or anything.  
  
"I was out taking a walk and I got lost," I lied.  
  
At that moment, I noticed the sparkle of blue in those orange eyes. I blinked,   
  
wondering if I was the only one who saw it or not.  
  
"Well, let us settle down at home," Iyori suggested.  
  
Natiohane: (Around Midnight)  
  
Excitement kept me awake…or at least from pretending to be asleep. My time   
  
of mischief was here and I would be damned if I missed this chance. I was a bit   
  
concerned about Suteki, due to the fact that she kept staring at me suspiciously.   
  
Maybe she knew…and she didn't want to tell anyone. But why? What was she   
  
shielding? For once, I didn't understand her motives. And that was bad. I slipped out   
  
of the back window of Musouka's house and fell freely to the forest floor. I hit it   
  
roughly and stood up unscathed. A forty-foot fall would not kill me now.  
  
I was far too powerful and my nightmarish roots were too strong in Yoarashi to   
  
be killed 'normally'. I stole away from Jougen without a sound and arrived at the   
  
boundary between worlds again. The outside world seemed different from earlier: the   
  
sky was pitch black with clouds and rain fell down in thick sheets. Perfect weather for   
  
a killing, I thought with a grin. I continued through the beach, noting the appearance   
  
of a small brown boat being tugged to shore. Ah, there was Dori now. I reached into   
  
the folds of my cloak and pulled out a small dagger with a blade made out of dried   
  
blood and ebony. This was my soul releasing blade/meat carver, especially designed   
  
for taking down people from Jougen.  
  
"Musouka, I'm glad to see your doing well."  
  
I smiled softly at Dori, noting how unaware she seemed.  
  
"Sorry sister, but I can't let you go back to Jougen," I hissed, jabbing my   
  
dagger into her chest quickly.  
  
I expected a wordless scream…but instead, I got a loud one. A really loud one.   
  
I had to shut her up quickly somehow until the blade's magic took effect. I grabbed   
  
her by the neck and ducked into the bushes, trying to fool whoever heard Dori's cry.   
  
It wasn't too much longer until the blade took it's full effect on her body and her cries   
  
fell silent. I smirked when it was finished and pulled the blade out. I felt the positive   
  
energy bouncing with it and put it away. That soul energy would serve a purpose   
  
much later. I was tempted to see if I could find that literature, but the sound of   
  
footsteps changed my mind.  
  
I had to change clothes and remain oblivious. I crept out of the bushes   
  
towards the filmy barrier that separated Jougen from with all the speed a person   
  
walking over sand could muster.  
  
"Halt!"  
  
I froze like an oglop in airship lights and straightened up. (A/N: Wait..what is   
  
the correct spelling of oglop?) If I were to get caught, then they would kill me. Then   
  
again, they wouldn't kill me exactly. I would just put Musouka in my place. Suddenly,   
  
my day just got a lot better.  
  
"Musouka, what are you doing out here? What was that cry all about?"  
  
I knew that it was Iyori who was asking that question so I decided to play an   
  
emotional game.  
  
"Oh, Iyori! It was horrible! I found Dori's dead body in the bushes just a few   
  
minutes ago!" I answered, turning around to get a good look at his reaction.  
  
Iyori snapped his fingers and waved some men off before speaking to me.  
  
"You've got blood on your shirt, Musouka," He said gravely.  
  
"I accidentally fell on her while searching for some fruit," I said, keeping the   
  
emotion in my voice. Iyori narrowed his eyes dangerously.  
  
"I can smell your lies, Musouka."  
  
That was not something I was counting on. I forgot my brother was some kind   
  
of psychic lie detector. I shrugged. So what if he could tell I was spreading a little bit   
  
of my lies, he still wouldn't be able to tell between Musouka and me.  
  
"Sorry, sister, but I will have to put you under house arrest for the murder of   
  
Dori," Iyori hissed as he grabbed my arms roughly.  
  
"But I didn't do it! I swear!" I shrieked.  
  
I laughed at my acting ability inwardly as he dragged me off to Jougen. No one   
  
can act like you, Natiohane. No one…  
  
Author's Note: Sorry for the late arrival. I know most of my attention was on Sosei,   
  
Reincarnation's Sequel, especially since ideas are running for that one. Also, Dream   
  
Weaver is coming to an end soon. And sorry if this chapter sounds confusing…I do   
  
try..and it's kinda hard when you have distractions all around you. 


	6. Chapter 5

Author's Note: Thanks for being patient. It's a little short for right now…

Dream Weaver

Chapter 5

Suteki/Garnet:

          I couldn't believe my ears. Musouka had murdered her own sister, just when she was returning from some trip. I just couldn't believe it! Neither did Iyori, apparently. Ever since the discovery of Dori's body, he's kept to himself. Because he didn't trust Musouka, he offered up his bedroom for my use. Although I thought this was wise at some paint, the village's reaction to this was completely irrational. In a way, I couldn't blame them. But I had to find something out and soon.

          "I'll be back, Iyori,' I called as I walked out his open front door.

          Not a sound came from the back of the house. The air around the village reeked of death and something darker. I remembered this darkness from Yoarashi and when I was around Natiohane. So why was this darkness here? Simple…because of Natiohane. I walked briskly down the path to Musouka's hut. My sale intention was to figure out who the true culprit is and stop it.

          "And how far do you think you'll get?"

          I froze in the middle of the bridge and straightened up. I was used to Natiohane's sudden and surprises and arrivals. After all, I did spend nearly a day with this woman.

          "You read my mind again," I said coolly.

          "It comes and goes."

          Somehow I could feel her shrug and sigh like my comment meant nothing.

          "Musouka really didn't kill Dori, did she?" I asked, taking the initiative of this conversation.

          "Of course she didn't. I did."

          Hmm…mighty blunt aren't you, Natiohane?

          "Then why did you do it?"

          "I wanted to teach her a lesson, that's all."

          This was starting to sound childish.

          "That lesson will end up putting her to death!"

          "So what. Musouka needs to die."

          "But she is your sister!"

          "Hmm…and so you have a point. But that wasn't stop me of course."

          I groaned and shook my head in confusion. So getting her to stop wouldn't be that easy. Of course, I wasn't planning on it to be.

          "I find it strange that you haven't shown yourself to me," I said, carefully choosing my words.

          "The darkness conceals everything my dear. Now leave me."

          I didn't have to hear that twice. I turned away and started back to Iyori's house. I could hear Natiohane's hollow laughter echoing around the woods. Now what could I do? Iyori wouldn't notice my absence anyways. He was too engrossed in his grief for Dori. And I wouldn't be gone long. I climbed down the ladder on the side of the walkway. Now I wanted to go back to the scene of the crime: To the beach where I was first found. It didn't take long for me to cross the filmy barrier that separated Jougen from Gaia. The air was slightly colder than it was in Jougen and it was tinged with something foreign. With that, I wasn't sure.

          I continued out along the beach until I noticed two books halfway covered in sand on the ground. Now why would these be here? Did Dori leave them here? I picked them up and brushed the dust off of them. One of them read 'Dori's Moonlight Diary' and 'The Tale of Princess Garnet: A Valued Summoner'. Garnet…that was my real name. But why would Dori have a book on me? I tucked the books into my robes and glanced out at the horizon. Somewhere out there was my home and my memories. I would get out there soon, but for now I had better things to do.

          I had to learn how to use my powers again…


	7. Chapter 6

Author's Note: Sorry for the wait I'm working on Sosei, Reincarnation's Sequel as well. So when I am finished with this fic (two chapters left) travel to that one. And for those who haven't read Reincarnation, do so! Enjoy, because it's winding down.

Dream Weaver

Chapter 6

Suteki/Garnet:

          When I returned to town, everything was dark and quiet. It put me on edge and for a moment, I shivered. Jougen was meant to be a warm place, not a cold one. I climbed up the ladder and glanced around. The slight hint of motion caught my attention and I turned in that direction. A woman seemed dance along the shadows and into the grove of trees that served as the opening to the dream plain. I blinked and walked over there quickly. The dream plain was brightly lit, but there wasn't any music playing. The ground underneath my feet was black and no orbs floated up from it.

          "What's going on here?" I asked.

          The people of Jougen all turned around, with a bunch of sick smiles on their faces. In front of them was the thin form of Musouka, or it seemed like it was her. But I knew better. Musouka sported several bruises on her cheek, which disturbed me greatly. Did the good people of Jougen do this to her?

          "Her punishment is over," They hissed as they dragged her out.

          Soon, I was left alone in this vast field that felt completely wrong. If I was just a dream, would I fade here? I wished that to happen. Well…I had to go find Iyori. He was the only person I could trust enough to teach me magic. I took off running through the border separating Jougen from the Dream Plain. It wasn't long before I reached Iyori's house. I opened the door and spotted Iyori sitting in the same place.

          "Iyori, what are the people of Jougen going to do with Musouka?" I asked.

          Iyori seemed to snap out of his daze and blinked.

          "They will put her to trial. If found guilty, they will kill her."

          Kill her? But that's what Natiohane wanted.

          "Iyori, I want you to teach me magic. Don't ask why, just do it for Dori."

          Iyori glared at me.

          "But your memory—"

          I grabbed him by the front of his shirt and shook him.

          "Please…for me."

Two Days Later:

          A beam of energy shot past my face, streaking the air with silver. I jumped to the side throwing my hand out and uttering the words to the spell.

          "Too slow!"

          I blinked as Iyori appeared on my left side. I dropped my spell quickly, trying to muster up a defense for the oncoming attack, but it was in vain. A spell shot into my side, sending me halfway across the field. Iyori straightened up and frowned. He seemed to change a lot since the day I asked him to teach me magic. I wanted to tell him about my plan to stop Natiohane, but I thought it best not to tell him just yet.

          "Come on Suteki. If you are going to be fluent in magic casting and defending then you have to learn how to activate a spell without words," He snapped.

          I got up onto my feet slowly and sighed. It was hard mustering up the magic to perform the spells Iyori wanted. But I had no room to complain. None at all.

          "Let us try again," Iyori snapped.

          I narrowed my eyes and threw a small fireball at him. It wasn't much, but it would distract him for a moment or two. Sure enough, he batted it away, leaving himself open. I dropped my hands and uttered the one word that would activate the one spell that would irritate Iyori: "Holy!" A stream of white/silver energy crashed down followed by a huge orb. In short, it was the most beautiful sight I had ever seen. And yet, it seemed so familiar.

          There was a groan as Iyori flew across the field and hit the ground roughly. I didn't worry about him getting injured. Iyori was definitely made of tougher stuff.

          "Defend, Suteki, defend!"

          The air around me grew excited and the hair on my arms and head rose. That could only mean one thing: Thundaga. I crossed my arms over my chest and relaxed. I could feel a shield forming in front of me, this one completely designed to reflect magic. There was a metallic pop as the lightning bolts hit and bounced off.

          "Good show. I think you're almost ready."

          I glared at Iyori darkly. I think he was just saying that to mock me.

          "I can't even cast half of the black magic you taught me. But I have the white magic down easily," I snapped.

          Iyori smiled and wiped the sweat off of his forehead.

          "Of course your good at white magic. You are a white mage with a little bit of dark magic in you."

          "White mage?"

          He nodded.

          "White mages are also classified as summoners, so I wonder how good you are with summons."

          That's for another day, Iyori.

          "I want to go watch the trial," I said softly.

          Iyori made a pained face and nodded.

          "Very well then, let's go."

Minutes later:

          Iyori wasn't too happy about going back to Jougen, but he kept his grief inside for me. I was surprised that he would do this for me, and so I added it to my plan. I would thank Iyori by taking out Natiohane. And I had one more day to go. We entered the courthouse on the left side of Jougen and took a seat in the back. Musouka/Natiohane was sitting comfortable next to the judge, an unreadable expression on her face.

          "Lady Musouka, is it true that on the evening Dori was supposed to return, you were outside of Jougen?"

          Don't lie, Natiohane. It's not in your nature, I thought darkly. For a second, I saw a trace of a smile on Musouka's face.

          "Yes, its true."

          There was a collective gasp from the people in the crowd and then:

          "She doesn't deny it! She's murderer, a traitorous murderer!"

          "She doesn't care who she kills! It will be one of us next time!"

          Perhaps this was getting out of hand. However, I could do nothing to stop it yet.

          "Lady Musouka, you murdered Dori didn't you?"

          The courtroom went silent. Musouka/Natiohane stood up and smirked.

          "Hear me now, Jougen. It was I, Musouka, who murdered my sister Dori!"


	8. Chapter 7

Author's Note: Last full chapter before the end!

Dream Weaver

Chapter 7

Suteki/Garnet:

          If I thought Jougen was being irrational before, I would be wrong. The moment the crowd heard Musouka/Natiohane's confession, they wanted her put to death immediately. Fortunately for me, Iyori was able to pull some tricks to postpone her death sentence. Unless I could do something soon, the real Musouka would die. Wait…the real Musouka!

          "Iyori, can I go to the jail? I needed to visit Musouka."

          Iyori gave me his suspicious look for a moment or two and nodded. He had gotten used to my strange requests now, which was great.

          "Come on."

          The walk to the jail was a short one and it was hard to believe that Jougen had one. As soon as this situation was done, Jougen and Yoarashi would be seen in a new light. Iyori motioned to the guard to open the gate and ushered me inside.

          "I'm not going inside, Suteki, but I will be here."

          I nodded and headed inside. The interior of the jail was dimly lit and silent except for the tears of someone or something. I walked past the cells slowly, noting the paler appearance of the inhabitants inside. I guess they hadn't seen the light of day in several years. I found it funny that I never heard of them from Musouka or Iyori. As I continued on, the answer dawned on me.

          Musouka had mortals under her care once and Natiohane told me that they had vanished. The only thing about that was that they hadn't disappeared. They were kept in the jail. Was that supposed to be my fate? It was time to find out. In the last cell was a broken and bruised Musouka. She looked up at me slowly, inching closer to the wall.

          "I know it's you, Musouka. The real you," I whispered.

          "No one believes me…"

          "That's what Natiohane wanted. She told everyone that you killed Dori."

          "She killed my sister! She will pay if I'm put to death."

          I blinked.

          "How?" I asked.

          "I am her twin sister, Suteki. She cannot live without me."

          "Doesn't she know that?"

          "She doesn't remember."

          This was very strange indeed. If I were Natiohane, I certainly wouldn't forget my weaknesses.

          "You see, Natiohane's had a few accidents before she ended up in Yoarashi. One of which scrambled her memory," Musouka said softly.

          "So where is Natiohane now?"

          "In Yoarashi resting. She won't be back in Jougen until way after my execution."

          I smiled.

          "Good."

          Musouka's eyes widened in confusion.

          "Good?"

          "Don't worry, I'll be back soon."

          I waved at her and went back to the front gate. Iyori yawned and opened the gate for me quickly.

          "Did everyone go ok?"

          I nodded, trying to keep the smile off of my face.

          "Everyone's fine. Let us rest until the rest of the evening."

9:14 P.M.:

          What luck! Iyori was dead asleep and in his own bed, which was excellent. It made things a lot easier, plus it was a lot better than bringing up a string of lies. And lies wasn't something I wanted to tell. Within the last few hours I had read most of the books Dori 'gave' me. The secret to summoning was mine now and I was determined to use it. But my one setback was the jewels. I lacked them…which means I can't summon without it. Maybe I could find an alternative soon. But time was dwindling and I had to get Musouka out before execution time.

          I climbed out of the hut's window and ran down the lane to the jail. I paused at the gate for a second or two, taking time to listen out for anyone else. Jougen remained eerily quiet as ever, prompting me to climb over the gate. I did so and ran into the back to Musouka's cell. Musouka was still there, leaning against the bars casually.

          "You act as if your not going to be put to death," I commented.

          She smirked.

          "I don't fear death anymore."

          Fear death? Well, I suppose that's good for you, Musouka. As for me…I pulled the set of keys off of the wall and unlocked the cell door.

          "These people…were they associated with you?" I asked as Musouka walked out into the hallway.

          "Natiohane framed them so they got trapped in here for life."

          "When I'm finished, free them. But for now, Yoarashi is our next destination."

          I led her back through the way I came and climbed down the side of the nearest tree trunk. I tried to keep us in the shadows so that if Iyori or any other citizen of Jougen wandered out, it would be hard to see us. Then again, that's why I knew magic. Thank you, Iyori.

          "Wait, Suteki. There's a much quicker way to Yoarashi from here," Musouka whispered.

          "Are you sure?" I asked, huddling down in the shadows further.

          "Yes, follow me."

          She took off into the column of trees silently, weaving in and out between the trees. I followed her, gaining speed by each second. For a moment, I felt light and then heavily all over again. This made me stop dead in my tracks and glance around. Musouka stopped just a few paces from me, with a calm expression on her face.

          "Are we in the land of nightmares?" I asked.

          "Yeah. Yoarashi is just ahead. Suteki, why are you doing this?"

          "Because I'm someone else. I am Queen Garnet til Alexandros the 17th. I learned this when you were…supposedly away."

          "So…you found your memory?"

          I sighed.

          "Not yet…not all of it. But I do know the magical and summoning tricks to it."

          Musouka fished a pouch out of her pocket and tossed it to me.

          "Here."

          I caught it and opened it. Inside it was several gemstones that held unseen power within them. Were these the summoning gems?

          "But how did you—"

          "I found them when you first came here. I knew what they were for so I hid them away from Natiohane. I knew you would need them again soon."

          I could have kissed Musouka. (A/N: But that would be wrong.)

          "Thank you, Musouka. You just made kicking Natiohane's ass much easier," I whispered.

          "Come on, let's go."

          The distance between the hills and Yoarashi was considerably short, but it was enough to drain us a bit. The last time I 'visited' Yoarashi, the air was alive with death. Now…it was quiet and energy less. Had Natiohane's return trigger something within those walls? Musouka pulled the front gates open with a grin. A blast of cold air washed over us quickly, making us shiver. I glanced at her warily and walked inside the front foyer that was dimly lit by floating candles. There was a presence in the room.

          "Ah…Suteki, how good of you to join me."

          The candles flared up brightly, lighting up the room further. In one of the chairs near the door was Natiohane.

          "I see you saved Musouka as well. Good job! But is it all in vain?"

          What did she mean by that? Natiohane got to her feet and smiled.

          "You see, there is no real way to escape the darkness of the shadows and you will be my first example, Garnet."

          She threw her hand up into the air, silently calling on whatever magic she knew. The ground cracked apart underneath us and shadowy tendrils came up from them. Musouka pushed me out of the way roughly and I watched in confusion as the shadows seized her. At first, I thought it was a weak and pointless spell, but when I saw the blood flowing from her arms…

          "What are you doing to her?" I asked, getting back to my feet.

          "I'm a night creature, Garnet. And night creatures like blood. I'm just doing Musouka a favor by killing her before Jougen's downfall."

          I hated to think of what she could possibly do to me when she got finished. I growled and pointed my finger at her, letting the energies for my holy spell come forth. What happened next was nothing short of amazing. Blue light flooded the room, setting various things, including Natiohane, on fire. After the initial parts of the spell hit, the room exploded into flames, throwing us out onto the surrounding countryside.

          I hit the ground with a heavy thud, which knocked the air out of my lungs and forced the pouch out of my grasp. Musouka and Natiohane landed just a few feet under me. Somehow, I doubted any of them were fairing any better than me. After five minutes, I was able to get back up to a comfortable sitting position. It was too quiet. Way too quiet. A shadow zoomed past me for a moment or two and returned with a pouch. All of a sudden, a foot launched itself into my stomach and forced me down to the ground.

          I was forced to look at Natiohane's ruined face, halfway twisted up into a smile. She dumped the contents of the pouch on the ground and picked a sapphire up. I had no idea what a sapphire summoned quite yet…and I wasn't sure I wanted to know. But I had to do something quick. I grabbed the closest stone I could reach without alerting Natiohane and balled my hand in a fist.

          "To think I actually counted on you to die quickly. You're almost as annoying as Musouka. But don't worry, I'll make your death quick for I have the one summoning gem that will kill you."

          I have one too, Natiohane. One that could destroy you as well.

          "Shiva, come forth and destroy!"

          I closed my eyes tightly and uttered the prayer to summon whatever monster I had in my hand. I felt a small prick of pain in my hand and then the loud whirr of blades.

          "But how did you—"

          My eyes shot open and I caught a bird's eye view of the destruction that lay upon the land. Natiohane was floating in the air, convulsing with blood flying everywhere. I backed away from the sight, hoping that it would disappear like a dream…like me. But it didn't. The whirr of blades grew louder for a moment or two and then Natiohane exploded, literally. Blood and guts flew past my small form, leaving me with a sense of failure. Now that I had gotten my memory back, was I supposed to be trapped here or was I going to just wake up?

          "I'm afraid it's not that easy, Garnet. Just look at your chest."

          I blinked and glanced down at the gaping wound in my chest. I was…too late. My life was forfeit? But I'm a dream! Dreams don't die, do they? I saw the blurry form of Musouka inch closer to my body and sighed.

          "Dreams don't die," She whispered.

          _Dagger, please, please wake up!_


	9. Chapter 8

Author's Note: Final chapter guys! Thank you for waiting. My next focus is on Sosei and maybe a Final Fantasy 9 version of Identity. Sounds good, ne?

Dream Weaver

Chapter 8-Was it all a dream?

Jougen

Musouka:

          A long few weeks…a long period of silence. Yoarashi fell without a question after Natiohane's defeat, spreading darkness throughout the land. Jougen was not exempted from the horror and in a few short hours, most of our population had killed itself. Iyori and I were the only ones who could contain the darkness. But it was hard work and I almost lost my soul. It would have been a fitting end to my life, if the gods had permitted it. I guess Suteki had taught me a lesson after all.

          After the mass suicide of the population of Jougen, the wood decayed. At first, it began slowly, so Iyori thought we could restore it, but when it sped up, we were left with despair. Losing Jougen wasn't something we planned on seriously. The dream field was almost back to normal making it possible to weave again.

          "Musouka, good morning."

          I turned around and looked up into the face of my tired, but noble brother. When I first saw him again, he actually hit me twice in the chest hard. It wasn't until I showed him Natiohane's stone cold body that he began to trust me again.

          "How are the trees?" I asked.

          Iyori sighed and shook his head.

          "They are dying a little bit everyday. Soon we won't have a home."

          "Don't say that, Iyori. There is always another option."

          Iyori smiled and curled up beside me.

          "Tell me about Suteki again."

          The story of Suteki had always been a sensitive issue to me. Ever since she vanished on that night, my life has changed. I was no longer the twin sister to Natiohane, but the proud elder to Jougen.

          "Suteki was a young woman who arrived on our island one day…"

Garnet:

          I was everywhere and nowhere at the same time. My conscious seemed to shatter everywhere to different towns, etc. And then, I found myself on a white beach. Everything but the ocean was white and colorless and there were two figures on the opposite side. The two figures looked very much like Musouka and Iyori. In fact, they were Musouka and Iyori. I started to call out to them, but when I opened my mouth nothing came out. What did this mean?

          "She didn't know anything about our culture or about her memory. But she had a goal to go back home. Little did she know that she would soon be trapped within the mysteries of Jougen and Yoarashi."

          Musouka said that dreams couldn't die. It wasn't until now that I wondered what exactly she meant. Clearly, I wasn't going to get away from Jougen, but I didn't think I would die. Dream wouldn't die…they fade. And that's what I did. But would I wake up? All of a sudden, the beach began to crumble under my feet and the images of Musouka and Iyori faded out. I screamed and tried to grab onto something.

          "You've got to go home. Please return home."

          I glanced around me slowly and saw Musouka. I blinked and gasped.

          "You're real," I commented.

          "Of course I am. How else am I able to talk to you? You're dreaming."

          "I'm dreaming?"

          But wasn't I just in Yoarashi? Musouka smiled.

          "You have a long life ahead of you, Garnet. Don't forget us."

          She began to fade in front of my eyes immediately. I nodded and waved.

Kuja:

          For the first time in days, Garnet stirred and awakened. For the first time in days, Zidane stopped crying and actually paid attention to something else other than his sleeve. I was personally happy for him, seeing as I personally disapproved his sadness. Nevertheless, I rushed over to the side of the bed and helped Garnet sit up. She was pale and believe it or not she had circles under her sides. Basically, she looked like she had been through hell and back even though her body hadn't technically left the castle.

          "Oh, Zidane…and Kuja…how long have I've been asleep?" She asked.

          "Nearly a week. Why?" Zidane replied.

          "I'm just curious—"

          Garnet froze and stared at the door behind me. She was silently mouthing something and pointing. Out of the corner of my eyes, I saw a woman dressed in long brown roses. She had brown hair with little white feathers within them and vivid orange eyes. Now, I hadn't seen her around before, so where could she have come from? The woman smiled and waved.

          "Musouka, wait. Where will you go?" Garnet asked.

          The woman now named Musouka laughed and smiled.

          "Wherever the stars shine down from above, there I am. Wherever the trees kiss the sky, there I am. Wherever there are dreams, I will be there to weave them. Thank you for giving me a second chance at life. May the blessings of the Dream Weaver Colony be with you."


End file.
